Artemis
Artemis was a custom built Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor that saw service through the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War before it was eventually inherited by Exao Gunn in early 6 ABY. The ship was looked after throughout it's service by the loyal astromech droid U4-SX. Characteristics At 5.47 meters in length, the Eta-2 was significantly shorter than the already diminutive Delta-7. The new fighter's mass was further reduced by removing much of the forward space-frame, leaving the front of the ship in a forked shape. Like its predecessor, it was also too small to hold an onboard hyperdrive. Because of this, the Eta-2 had to rely on carrier vessels or hyperspace transport rings for long-distance travel. However, the Actis did have room for a full astromech droid, instead of a truncated unit as was fitted into the Aethersprite. Like the simultaneously developed ARC-170 and Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighters, the Eta-2 incorporated S-foils to radiate excess engine heat in the thick of combat, reducing the likelihood of damage to the craft. Occasionally, though not always, the lifting panels were opened during normal flight to further reduce stress on the engines. This design element would be carried on through the radiator panels of later TIE fighters, which, though unlike the Eta-2's foils were locked in static positions, served the same purpose. Thanks mostly to the fact that its development occurred in the midst of a galactic civil war, the Eta-2 had more firepower at its disposal than the Delta-7—two large laser cannons and two ion cannons. While the size of its guns provided it with respectable firepower, the fighter's limited power systems restricted its ability to fire continuously. Raith Sienar's twin ion engine design allowed the Eta-2 to achieve a maximum acceleration of 5,200 g. Unlike the Delta-7, the standard Eta-2 was not equipped with shields, as Sienar reasoned that agility and speed were its best defense. However, a later variant did include shields, as well as slightly heavier armor and a stronger hull. History The Artemis was first manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering in circa 20 BBY for use by Jedi Shadow Eirga Orus, the ship would serve Orus throughout the Clone Wars on numerous different assignments across the Galaxy, including the Battle of Geonosis. He would also use the craft in his role as a Jedi Shadow, the small stature of the vessel allowing him to slip through enemy watch positions undetected to remain hidden. Under Eirga Orus Shadow Missions The speed and agility of the Eta-2 made the ship a valuable asset to Eirga, who travelled almost everywhere in the ship along with his trusty sidekick, the R2-series astromech U4-SX. Using the Artemis allowed Eirga to easily track enemies undetected due to the size of the ship making it much more difficult to detect as well as the vastly reduced emissions as a result of the ship being, at the time, completely stripped down of most components which would give away signatures easy to detect by standard equipment used in vessels of the era. Most prominent of the battles in which the Artemis saw service in is most likely the Second Battle of Jabiim, where Orus used the ship to assist in the escorting of Republic evacuation vessels off-world and out of the system whilst under fire from Seperatist forces. It was during this battle that the interceptor features of the vessel came into their own, with the size of the ship alone making the Artemis near invulnerable to fire before taking the agility of the fighter into account. Post Order 66 After the initiation of Order 66, the Artemis saw very little flight time due to the neccessity of Orus maintaining a low profile and not attracting any unwanted attention. For the majority of the time, the ship remained close to Orus' home near Wayfar where it was cared for by both Eirga and U4-SX. Orus occassionaly took the ship out for a fly around, but rarely undertook any ventures on the vessel. However, following the formers death in 6 ABY fighting the Inquisitorius on the planet of Roon, Exao Gunn inherited the ship as his own and would learn how to fly in the interceptor. Under Exao Gunn Once in the possession of Gunn, the ship saw a vastly increased amount of flight time with Exao taking the ship out for regular test flights with the systems always under the watchful eye of the ever vigilant U4. The ship was a near perfect match for Exao and he took to the design almost immediately, enjoying being out in the ship and spending long hours practicing different maneouvres in quite parts of the Corellian sector. The ship would also serve on a limited number of adventures. For example, the ship was piloted by Exao during his trip to Deralia when he attempted, along with a small group of other Force users, to rescue imprisoned Force sensitives on the planet. These adventures showed how, despite several decades having passed since it's original construction, the ship was still a reputable force capable of taking on modern renditions of pre-19 BBY fighters. Several months after obtaining the interceptor, Exao would be seperated from the vessel after he was forced to hide it on Talus so that it would not fall into the hands of the Galactic Empire after he was forced to go on the run. Despite the seeming certainty of the ship falling into enemy hands, the vessel was still registered under a different name to Exao's to maintain the anonymity of the owner, thus greatly reducing the chances of the ship being discovered and impounded. Category:Starships